It seems like nobody wants a fat child.
I'm scared (more like terrified actually) to write that sentence. I'm trying to be blunt, but I fear people will think I'm insensitive, ignorant, mean. I feel like I have to be blunt, however, because I want to point out the obvious. Sometimes we reframe the discussion and call thin "healthy." No matter what we call it, though— fat, … [Read more...]

"Mommy, I know I'm going to be fat when I grow up," said my 3 year old daughter.
"Oh, really," I sputtered. "Why do you say that?" "Because," my daughter replied, "I'm fat already."
Fat, fat perception, fat bias. These are tricky and emotionally-laden topics. But they're important to address during the Eating Season. Our cultural obsession with weight and body image … [Read more...]

Sometimes healthy is the enemy of happy.
I'm not arguing against a healthy Thanksgiving. I'm just saying that, sometimes, prioritizing healthy is the wrong way to go. If you have to choose between a healthy and a happy Thanksgiving, choose happy. Happy makes better memories.
Recently I asked members of my FB group, The Happy Bite Parents Network, to vote on their … [Read more...]

My calendar of conversations will get you and your kids ready for Thanksgiving. Start today.
I know I'm not the only one who wishes I could get through Thanksgiving (and the rest of the Eating Season) without gaining weight. There are a host of habits I wish I had for the holidays. Not constantly munching before the holiday meal is another one.
So here's the dirty truth. If … [Read more...]

Have you ever thought about what it feels like to be told, "Don't yuck on my yum?"
I'm not a fan of "Don't yuck on my yum." I understand why parents teach their kids to quash expressions of food disgust. It's not pleasant being around that negativity. And, most parents worry that yuks are contagious.
Still, imagine being the yucker and being told, Stifle … [Read more...]

Picky eaters aren't picky by choice.
Sure, sometimes kids are simply engaged in a massive control struggle, and they're going to win by doing whatever it takes. But if you know an adult who is a picky eater, then you know that food aversions are real. Sensory sensitivity is real. It's helpful to remember this when you're ready to throw your child out the window for refusing, … [Read more...]

Have you seen this picture of a Halloween Salad Treat going around the Internet?
Did you laugh? Recoil in horror? Think, Hmm, what if that were true? Halloween Salad!
Personally, I think salad for Halloween is a horrible idea. It would ruin all the fun. But it does raise a legitimate point: There is a faction out there that thinks everything has to be healthy.
I … [Read more...]

When I posted this Halloween Bill of Rights last year, #10 got the biggest reaction.
Not rifle through our kids' stash without permission? Almost no one was onboard. And I get it. We like rifling our kids' candy collection. It brings back a little of our childhood, doesn't it? And it's easy to justify because, really, no one needs that much candy. I've admitted to dipping … [Read more...]